The Legacy Continues
by Kavazya
Summary: What happens when a prized Arabian mare gives birth to a colt sired by the Phantom, which falls into Sam's hands? Read to find out! SAKE
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own the Phantom Stallion series, characters, plot, etc. That would be Terri Farley, and I think it goes without saying that I am no Terri Farley :) So now that we have the disclaimer out of the way... Enjoy!**

Chapter 1

Sam woke suddenly, the constricting feeling of anxiety heavy on her chest. She couldn't place the feeling. Nothing appeared to be immediately wrong, but the immense sensation of dread prevented her from drifting back to a peaceful rest.

Then she heard it. Quiet at first, but gradually more audible. The horses were calling restlessly to the night. One particularly high shriek pierced the crisp Nevada air.

That was all the indication she needed. Flinging the covers off, Sam pulled on a jacket and flew down the stairs as quickly as she was silent. As she sprinted to the barn, her ears detected another, more dulled echo of whinnies - there were other horses near. And by the progressively fainting sounds, they were on the move.

Sam couldn't help but feel that staying away would keep her out of an inevitable world of trouble, but her pressing curiosity urged her otherwise. As long as nothing went wrong, she thought, there was a good chance no one would ever know.

Tempest and Ace nickered greetings to her as she entered. "How's my pretty girl?" she cooed as she stroked Tempest's soft face. She snorted, and Sam couldn't help but smile at her eagerness. Her mare was truly going to be a great horse. But tonight she moved over to Ace's stall.

"Hey, sweet boy," Sam said gently. "Ready to go for a ride?" Tempest was by far faster, but she was also very young. Experience and calm were the advantages of her little bay mustang. He lowered his head over the stall door to nudge at her pockets for treats. "Maybe Jake was right, I _do_ spoil you too much," she giggled. "I promise I'll get you some of those afterwards."

The bit slid easily into Ace's mouth as Sam placed the bridle on his head. Not bothering to lose time with tacking up completely, she swung up bareback.

Soon the two were thundering away from River Bend, immersed in the black sky lit only by the radiance of the stars above. The mustang's hooves struck the ground only briefly but with tremendous force, and Sam tightened her grip on a handful of mane. Two years ago, she would never have been able to ride quite like this.

It wasn't long before she could make out the forms of riderless horses in the distance. They had to be wild. Even though Sam couldn't see him, it was as if she could feel him.

_Zanzibar_.

The two followed behind, Ace struggling to keep up. His breathing had become labored, but Sam had a strange feeling they needed to pursue them. Why would the Phantom's herd be galloping in the night away from the secret valley? Then Sam remembered: this year there had been a rise in the mountain lion population. The cats are predators that hunt primarily at night, and no secret valley could keep them out. No mountain lion would stalk them for so long, but she knew well that a spooked horse could flee for miles.

With alarm she realized they were encroaching on the Prathers' property. They were new, and had relocated their Arabian farm to Nevada a year after Jake had left for college. As far as Sam knew they were nice people, but they took great pride in their fine horses and were deeply embittered by the loss of one of their prized mares shortly after moving in. Sam had heard a stable hand had watched dazedly as she had leaped over the tall turn-out fence.

Suddenly a mare broke off from the herd, with a black foal at her side. Sam couldn't help but notice that she was taller than the average mustang; her legs were longer, her face more delicate.

"No...," Sam gasped. That was the Prathers' Arabian mare. And she wanted to go home.

Then the Phantom emerged, barreling after the runaway mare with an authoritative bellow. The ranch house was now in sight, and Sam observed with dread the light that appeared through the window by the front door. Not wanting to get caught in the middle of the mess that had unfolded, she slowed Ace to a halt. A man emerged from the door, the porch light slowly flickering on as it detected movement. By the constant direction of his gaze, it became very clear that he had spotted his lost mare.

"Prisma!" he called to her desperately. Though still a ways off, she appeared to have already made the decision to return as she galloped at a pace the foal could follow at.

With a rapid, sweeping turn, the Phantom cut her off half way. He stood in front of her, trying to herd her back to the rest of the horses.

"Oh no you don't!" Sam heard the man spit defiantly.

That was when she saw the rifle. Instantaneously it was raised and aimed at her horse. Her Zanzibar. She wanted to scream, to call out to him, but she was so frozen with shock that she couldn't bring her lips to force the sounds.

_BANG!_

The sounded erupted through the desert.

The shrill, terrible scream of pain cut through the air.

Sam's wide eyes were glued to the Phantom. It seemed like ages as she watched him rear on his hindquarters wildly, but then his front hooves hit the ground and he was careening away with the rest of his herd, seemingly unharmed. The breath she was subconsciously holding flooded out from her strained lungs.

Her eyes reverted to the mare, and the ache returned immediately as the sleek legs buckled and the beautiful horse's body crumpled to the ground.

"Damn it!" the man yelled with anguish. He continued to curse and shout with alacrity, and when he noticed the foal, which was hovering over its mother's body, his voice became cold and hard. "Worthless, polluted bloodline." Shaking his head, he turned and headed back inside.

Sam was infuriated. How could anyone be so cruel? For Sam, it wasn't even a question. Her mind was already made up to return to River Bend with the foal.

Nudging Ace forward, she began to make her way cautiously towards the scene of the tragedy. At first the foal danced away from them nervously, but he never strayed far from his mother. Sam had no idea how to get him home - she had nothing with her. Ace halted and they waited patiently for a long time. Eventually curiosity gave the foal the courage to greet Ace tentatively. The older horse gently touched noses with him. Once Sam saw the foal felt comfortable around Ace, she walked her horse a little ways off towards home.

The poor creature had conflict all over his face. He was torn, anxious to be near Ace but unwilling to leave his mother's side. Sam walked Ace over to him one last time and walked away again. This time, the foal made the decision to follow: a choice that probably saved him his life.

This was how the three of them made the long walk home. Ace leading the way, Sam trustingly letting him guide them home and the foal alongside them. Dawn broke over the desert and Sam admired the foal's jet-black coat and eyes that glistened like fire in the sunlight.

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><p><strong>Alright, there's the first chapter. Thanks for reading!<strong>

**Now since I hate begging for reviews, I'm going to resort to something much, much classier: Bribery! The more reviews the quicker the update - simple as that! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright, Chapter 2 is up! A big thank you to everyone who reviewed, particularly ACE OF HEARTS for being the first to do so. Hope you guys enjoy! I own nothing, etc., etc.**

Chapter 2

"Sam, that colt of yours needs to be washed! His coat is caked with mud," Wyatt called tiredly. He had let Sam keep the foal when Sam explained she had found it orphaned with it's mother's body nearby, at least for the time being. This, however, was most likely due to the fact that Sam had failed to mention the fact that the Phantom was his father or the details of that night.

"His name," Sam stated proudly, "is Ember."

Wyatt shot her a wary look. "So he has a name now, does he?"

"Yup!" Sam grinned. Wyatt merely shook his head and walked away.

Sam walked up to the big pasture and whistled. Just as she knew he would, Ember came toward her like a freight train, sliding on his haunches to a stop at the last moment. Sam slipped through the fence with a smile. "So how's my sweet baby boy?" she asked, stroking him gently on the neck. Sam brought out the halter and the spirited black colt let her fasten it on without complaint.

Since Jake was still away at college, Sam had been the one to do all the training for the first time. She did everything as she remembered Jake had taught her with Blackie, and the various other horses they had worked with together. There was no denying she was proud of what she had accomplished with him so far: halter breaking, manners, leading, loading into a trailer, etc. She had even given him a secret name as she and Jake had done with Blackie: _Manitou_.

But a part of her wanted nothing more than for Jake to be there with her, flashing his tomcat grin and calling her "Brat." It made her sad to think how little she had actually seen him since he had left. Phone calls and visits were few and far in between. Although Jake was coming home this summer, just in time for Ember's training under a saddle. She hoped he would help her for this major step, just like the good 'ol days.

Ember pranced in place while she hosed him down, but was otherwise still. She put him in a stall and bridled Tempest, whom she rode bareback over to Three Ponies to look after Witch, just as she promised Jake she would while he was gone.

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><p>The day Jake came home had been one of the happiest in Sam's life. He instructed everyone to keep the day he was coming home a secret, and Sam's confusion was extreme as she saw someone actually riding Witch over the bridge onto River Bend. Very few people would be crazy enough to try <em>that<em>. When she realized it was him, she was ecstatic.

"Jake!" she had squealed as she sprinted erratically towards his big, black mare, much to her irritation. He had dropped down from her back for a hug, but Sam clung on so long that he just rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat uncomfortably.

They spent the day riding, Jake on Witch and Sam on Tempest, who Sam discovered with delight could compete and win in a race against Witch. They talked about college, the ranches, Sam's experiences with Witch, and finally, Ember. Well, Sam did most of the talking.

As she talked about training, she noticed that Jake looked pretty impressed. He immediately agreed to help teach Ember to accept a rider, under the condition that Sam did exactly as he told her.

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><p>Something happened that summer. Sam and Jake took Ember to the river to ride for the first time. Jake insisted on being the first to try it, since if anything went wrong he'd feel responsible. Ember was a perfect gentleman when Jake laid across his back lightly, so Jake was relaxed and unexpecting when he sat fully upon his back. The horse's powerful legs launched into the air in a twisting motion, sending Jake hurtling into the water. Sam was laughing so hard she could barely breathe.<p>

"So you think that's funny, do you Brat?" Jake asked, grinning mischievously.

Suddenly Sam wished she could take it back. "Of course not, Jakey," she tried to say emotionlessly, but her voice cracked into another burst of stifled laughter.

Before she could even muster an apology for calling him 'Jakey,' he came after her and tackled her swiftly into the river. When she emerged for air drenched and sopping,gasping for air, she sprang up and shuffled over to Ember and clambered onto his back. He didn't even seem to notice. With a gentle nudge, she had him trotting back and forth down the river like an old pro.

The look of utter disbelief on Jake's face made her shoot him a smug smirk. Without warning Jake turned and disappeared behind the desert brush. When he came back he was holding a rope and sending her his best tomcat grin. Expression unchanging, he began to swing the rope over his head and when Sam trotted by again she couldn't help but squeal as the rope tightened around her waist and pulled her into the water again.

She got up and ran towards him, rope still around her. She launched herself at him angrily, sending them both crashing into the soft, sandy river bank.

"Now that, Jacob Ely, was a very dangerous maneuver you just pulled there! You should be ashamed of yourself, Mr. Safety First."

Jake looked up at her, as if trying to decide if she was genuinely upset. At the glimmer of playfulness in her eyes he just burst out laughing, and she followed suit. She loved seeing Jake loosen up like this.

When they were both panting for breath they just stared at each other. Sam couldn't break away from his soft mustang-eyes, which she realized with a blush were fixed on hers. She didn't know what to do, but she couldn't bring herself to pull away from the trance.

"I missed you, Brat," he said softly. His words didn't say much, but Sam could see in his face the extent of their truth.

Sam could only manage a soft smile, and pressed her forehead to his.

Drops of water fell lightly along Sam's back and on her head. She looked up to see Ember bent over them inquisitively, his wet mane dripping.

"I'd say we've had more success than we could have asked for today," Sam said dizzily. "What do you say we call it a day?"

"Sounds good." Jake got up and placed Ember's lead rope in one hand, and helped Sam up with the other. Except that once she was up, he didn't let go and they walked back hand in hand, drenched and covered with sand.

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><p>Sam was lying in her bed when she felt a familiar pull. She quickly got up and made her way outside, trying her best to be stealthy. She walked down to the river, and just like she knew he would be, the Phantom was standing on the other side. A smile broke over Sam's face.<p>

"Zanzibar, my boy, where have you been?" His ears pricked toward her voice. "Hey, sweet boy," Sam called to him.

His hooves submerged under the water as he trotted over to her. The water splashed lightly over his white coat, making it glisten in the moonlight. As he got closer he tossed his long mane lightly in greeting. His nose gently met her outstretched hand. She pet his neck in long, slow strokes, not wanting to do anything that would make him leave too early. He seemed in a calm and outgoing state of mind, so Sam applied pressure to his back with her hands as a way of asking permission to mount. He shuffled sideways under the pressure.

"No moonlit gallops over the _playa_ tonight, huh?" Sam sighed. "Alright then."

She returned to petting him, talking to him in her best soft horse voice and combing out the tangles in his mane with her fingers. After a while he gave a snort and wheeled back across the river. Sam watched her horse speed away across the desert until the his vanishing figure was engulfed completely by the night. With another long sigh, she too turned and headed back to where she belonged.

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><p><strong>To those of you who were wondering, Manitou (Ember's secret name) is pronounced like man-it-yew. And like Zanzibar and Xanadu, it is a real place (a healing spring near Watrous, Saskatchewan).<strong>

**Thanks for reading - as any author knows, reviews are always appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 3

**The story continues with Chapter 3! Again, thanks for all the reviews. This one is pretty long, at least by my standards, but hopefully you guys won't be bored ;)**

Chapter 3

Ember was like a spirit - untouchable and marvelous. His Arabian blood gave him unrivaled speed, matched perfectly with incredible stamina. Sometimes when Sam was riding him like this - at a breakneck pace so fast it seemed like there was no way his hooves had time to strike the earth - it was hard to believe he was really her horse, or that any human could experience such power voluntarily from an animal.

His gallop was more like flight, as far as Sam was concerned. The wind was so strong, and their surroundings such a blur that she could scarcely see anything, only hold on tight. A ride on Ember was almost as special as a ride on the Phantom, which was an honor reserved for her alone. But then again, Ember didn't exactly lend himself easily.

Jake had seen him run, and had wanted to ride him to see what it would be like. Sam wanted to share the experience with him, so she asked Ember to let Jake ride him, knowing he was uneasy with other riders. He clearly wasn't thrilled about it, but let Jake ride him as Sam had asked. However, the two were so at odds and uncomfortable with each other that Jake decided it would be better not to go so fast when things could easily fall apart from under him.

Eventually Ember slowed to a normal gallop, and Sam turned him towards Three Ponies as she normally did after her early morning rides. Jake was always up early doing chores, and sometimes he would be in their barn waiting for her with a warm cup of hot chocolate.

Today, however, he was sitting on the front porch idly, waiting for her. The look on his face made Sam nervous. She swung off Ember and ran to him.

"Jake...?" she asked tentatively. He looked at her steadily, as if trying not to spook a horse.

"Sam... I was at Clara's last night."

Sam swallowed. "And?"

"She told me the other night some men came and were talking about how Mr. Prather shot the Phantom, 'cause she knew you and I..." Jake trailed off when he saw her face. "I would have called, but I know how you are and I didn't want you taking off in the middle of the night."

Sam nodded weakly. She wanted to be angry, but Jake was right; she _would_ have gone to look for him immediately.

"I'm going to take Ember back and get Tempest," she said shakily. "Then I'm going to go look for him."

"Come back here first - I'll help you track him." Sam was grateful. He normally wanted nothing to do with the horse that had been involved with the accident.

When she came back with Tempest, Jake was seated on Witch's back and ready to go. They set out on their search, Jake silent the entire way, clearly not sure what to say. They didn't have to look long.

Jake was studying the ground when Sam suddenly pointed, "Jake, look! He's alive!"

Not only was he alive, but he was walking, albeit with difficulty. Sam slid from Tempest and handed Jake her reins.

"Hold Tempest for me - I don't want to scare him."

Jake looked hesitant. "Remember animals act differently when they're hurt," he grumbled, giving up.

Sam walked toward her horse slowly. When he saw her his ears pinned back and he tossed his head aggressively. "Easy, boy, easy," Sam said softly. He surged towards her for a few steps and stopped, eyes rolling wildly.

"Sam!" Jake yelled, worry evident in his voice. Sam ignored him.

"Zanzibar," she pleaded, using his secret name. The effect on him was immediate: his ears flicked forward towards her voice and his head stopped swinging. "Zanzibar, let me help you," she continued, stepping towards him. She managed to reach him at last and began searching for a wound. She found it quickly - the bullet had struck his front left leg. Upon further investigation she saw a similar opening on the other sighed which meant the bullet had gone straight through. It was no graze, but it looked to Sam like he would be okay. She also noticed his legs were all trembling. She walked back over to Jake and took the reins from him.

"He's lucky. The bullet went clean through him, but he's really dehydrated," she explained. "You should go back - I'm going to get him some water and try to clean it. We'll be fine," she added when she saw the look of uncertainty.

"Fine. But if you don't come back before late afternoon, I'll track you to that secret valley of his. Don't think I won't, Brat."

Jake was dead serious and she knew it, but Sam couldn't help but hold back a chuckle at his overprotective nature. "Tell you what," she began as she started walking away, "Make sure my dad knows I'll be gone for lunch today, because I'm coming over to your house and we're having grilled cheese sandwiches."

"Is that right?" The corner of Jake's mouth turned up into a slight smile.

"Yup," Sam replied perkily. "And you're cooking!"

She mounted Tempest and the two walked beside the Phantom. From where the were it was about the same distance to the river as it was to the secret valley, so Sam decided they might as well just go there. The walk was slow, and Sam murmured words of encouragement to her injured horse the whole way there.

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><p>When they reached the valley, they immediately went to the crisp, clear pool of water enticing them upon entering. Both Tempest and the Phantom practically inhaled gulps of water. Sam dismounted and looked at the Phantom's leg. She wasn't sure if she should just splash water on it, but she decided it would be better to have cloth to clean it with. She looked down at her shirt. On the side of her plain green t-shirt she saw a small gap in the fabric. She work it with her fingers until it developed into a decent sized hole. Pulling her shirt off her head, she prepared to shred it.<p>

"One of the advantages of a secret valley," she told her two horses, "is that horses are the only ones who will witness me in my bra ripping up my shirt. And you guys could care less."

She tried to just take of a few inches from the bottom, but she made such a mess of it that when she slipped the remainder of the fabric back on, the jagged and uneven hemline fell several inches higher than her navel.

"_Great_." Sarcasm dripped from her voice.

Making use of the larger than intended strip of fabric she now held in her hand, she tore of a small piece from the end and drenched it with the cool, fresh water. The Phantom stood there drinking idly as she dabbed gently at his wounds. Right now, infection was his biggest potential threat. Once she felt like it had been cleaned as thoroughly as she could, she used the bigger portion of her shirt as a bandage and tied it around his leg.

"Alright Zanzibar," she said at last. "That's all I can do for you right now. When I come back in a few days you can bet I'll be looking for a vet if it doesn't look good."

Tempest had gotten her fill of water, so Sam swung up on her back and headed home. The phantom whinnied in farewell as they vanished through the entrance.

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><p>It wasn't until Sam had actual gotten to Three Ponies that she remembered she was still wearing a pathetic excuse for a shirt - at least by her standards. As luck would have it, the first person she encountered was Jake's brother Quinn. When he caught sight of her he let out a piercing wolf whistle and flashed her a toothy grin. Sam groaned and got off Tempest's back as if she could hide behind her.<p>

"Sammy, Sammy, Sammy," Quinn scolded mockingly, putting an arm over her shoulders. "Now if I had known you would be showing up at my house looking like _that_, I would have made plans for us to ditch that boring old Jake of yours and head into town to have some real fun!"

"Uh, Quinn?" A familiar voice behind her asked. "You gonna introduce me?" Sam wanted to die.

"Actually, Bryan, this is an long-time mutual friend of ours," Quinn replied teasingly. Sam couldn't bring herself to turn around and face Bryan.

"There's no way..." he cut off suddenly when Quinn turned Sam to face him. "Sam?" He practically yelped.

"You got it! But first things first, right Sam? We have to make sure our little brother Jake knows he has a visitor!" The twins shared a devilish smile.

"Oh, Jakey! There's something _really_ special here for you..." He didn't get the chance to finish his sentence before Sam launched herself at him, tackling him to the ground while Bryan just burst into laughter.

When Jake opened the door he saw a girl turned away from him, blasting Quinn with water from their hose. Bryan grabbed her from behind, trying to pry the hose from her hands but spraying both of them in the process Quinn came over to try to help him, but it turned into a watery stalemate that resulted in water being sprayed into all three of their faces.

Jake shut the valve off and watched in confusion as his brothers and the girl struggled to breathe from their hysterical laughter. Bryan was the first to recover.

"Bryan?" he asked.

"Oh, hey little bro," he greeted. "Sorry we didn't tell you sooner, but Sam stopped by."

"She did? Why didn't she stay?" Sam was touched by the disappointment in his voice. "What time did she get here?"

"Just a few minutes ago actually." Quinn scooped Sam up and presented her with waggling eyebrows to Jake.

"Sam?" he asked, disbelievingly. She wriggled out of Quinn's arms and jogged over to him.

"Hey, Jake." She noticed he darkened a little as Quinn whooped when he took her appearance in.

"Would you like some dry clothes?" he asked her after a moment.

She smiled. "That would be great!" She thought she saw something in his eyes, perhaps amusement or satisfaction, but he blanked it out when he motioned her inside.

He gave her a t-shirt and pair of Maxine's sweat pants. When she changed she sat down wearily on their couch.

Jake sat down next to her, handing her a plate. "I made grilled cheese."

Sam shot him a look of appreciation.

"So, how'd it go with, um... the um, the Phantom?" he finally managed.

"You mean how did I manage to lose the majority of my shirt and my dignity?" she laughed.

"I didn't think it was that bad," he grinned.

Sam smacked him lightly on the arm, and he kissed her head sweetly in response.

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><p><strong>Alright, I'll admit it: I<strong> **had a lot of fun writing the latter half of this chapter.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Six days after Sam restored the Phantom to the secret valley, she woke up in the early morning to tack up Tempest to check on him. Ember whinnied at her in anticipation, but Sam couldn't take him. Ember hadn't been gelded yet. He had matured into a young stallion, and two stallions close to each other could be a recipe for disaster.

Tempest loped through the desert. The air was still cool, and even though the sky was lightening up, the sun hadn't actually risen yet. Sam inhaled deeply. The Phantom's condition today was critical: if everything was healing fine, great, but if not she was going to have a hard time finding a vet willing to take on a wild horse.

Sam left Tempest at the entrance of the valley. She trusted her mare completely - she wouldn't take off and leave her.

The Phantom saw her and limped over to her. She ran to him in an effort to prevent him from too much pain. Anxiously but gently she undid the bandages. At first she was pleased to see that the wound was closing up, but then she noticed that beneath his coat the area looked rather inflamed and swollen, and was oozing a yellowish liquid.

"That's not good..." Sam groaned. "I'm going to need to call a vet."

Sam's heart sank. What vet would make the long, rocky journey to the valley that couldn't be reached with a vehicle? Let alone try to help a dangerous wild stallion?

She jogged back towards Tempest, but when she reached the entrance, something felt off. Tempest was standing straight up, ears continually pricking in several directions. She snorted and shuffled uncomfortably.

Out of the corner of her eye, Sam saw a tan shape morph behind one of the large boulders that formed the cliff that concealed the valley. It moved stealthily, but it wasn't long before it came completely into Sam's view.

Mountain lion.

And it was hunting Tempest.

Not thinking, Sam picked up a rock and threw it at the cat. Its surprised jump alerted Tempest to its presence, and Sam gave a sigh of relief when she saw her horse flee to safety.

Then the mountain lion turned to her. Making lots of noise was always what Sam had heard you were supposed to do. She yelled and hollered, waving her arms in the air to make herself look bigger.

Apparently the cat wasn't very impressed, because it continued advancing on Sam. His was incredibly unusual for a mountain lion. She noticed with horror that it was abnormally thin, and its eyes had a crazed glint.

Panicking, she picked up rocks and tried to drive it away with more poorly aimed projectiles. That was a mistake, because it only caused the cat to quicken its pace to a run.

Sam screamed.

Then she heard a strained yowl and looked to see the Phantom's hooves strike the mountain lion. The cat gave a menacing hiss and swiftly slashed the great horse's side. Sam screamed in horror as those claws then sank into his sleek, white neck. The horse lacked his normal strength and struggled to throw the cat. Somehow the mountain lion's grip slipped and the Phantom wheeled to deal what must have been a rib shattering blow.

However, the cat refused to relent and sprang fully onto his back. In one last great effort the horse threw his weight down to the ground in a desperate roll, crushing the cat between his mass and the surrounding rocks. Neither of the two beasts rose to their feet.

"Zanzibar!" Sam shouted, tears already flooding her vision as she rushed to his side. He nickered weakly at her. "No, no, no, no, no... Oh, no," she sobbed wildly.

Sam couldn't bear to face the truth, but she knew deep down that her horse had been irreparably mauled - at her expense.

She cradled his great head in her lap as she watched the life quickly drain out of his eyes. "I'm sorry, my sweet boy. I'm so, so sorry..." Her tears rained down onto his face.

"I love you, Zanzibar," she choked out as she felt that last great breath - the final, slow exhale - flood from his body. Her body shook with wrenching sobs of sorrow, and she stayed with him for hours, unwilling to come to terms with the events of so young a day.

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><p>Several hours later Jake rode up on Witch, leading Tempest by the reins with his free hand. When Sam saw him a fresh wave of tears broke, and he pulled her into the longest embrace she had ever had from him. He held her, he kissed her hair, but mostly he just let her cry, gently rocking her as she shook with sobs.<p>

He sat on the ground with her for as long as it took, cradling her in his arms until her breathing calmed. Eyes red, swollen and puffy, she looked up at him in anguish.

"He saved my life," was all she managed to say.

It was then that Jake noticed the lifeless body of a mountain lion a little ways away.

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><p><strong>I know many of you probably didn't like this chapter. However, considering my initial concept was a rather depressing one-shot of a scene like this, there might be some consolation in the fact that this developed into a longer, more well-rounded story.<strong>

**Now review! Or suffer through an entire chapter of Sam just mourning over her loss!**

**Just kidding. I don't think I'd like writing that anymore than you'd like reading it. But seriously, review. Yes? Yes! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks so much to everyone who has been reading, and especially to those who reviewed. A special thank you to ACE OF HEARTS for being the first to review for every chapter as well as the only one to review every chapter.**

Chapter 5

Tempest and Ember were half siblings both sired by the Phantom. Both were born black, as Sam's Blackie had been. Like his father, the Phantom's black coat had turned white sometime after he had run away when he was two years old. Sam always suspected that her young black horses would turn white as well, and these suspicions were confirmed when Tempest's coat began to fade to a charcoal grey.

It had been two months after the Phantom's death. Thinking about him was like putting salt on an open wound, but acceptance had slowly begun to sink in. What she had to remember was that it had been his choice to save her, and she would always be grateful to him. But sometimes she would hear sounds in the night and rush to look out her window to discover nothing but the empty desert and the infinite night sky.

The curry comb swept over embers sleek neck in wide, circular motions. As Sam groomed her horse, she thought about his resemblance to his father. They shared their coloring, and preference for Sam above all other people. Though Ember was a very different horse. His Arabian half made him faster and stronger than any of the ranch horses Sam had ever seen. He wasn't ridiculously high strung like the Prathers' Arabians, but he was always restless.

He had some mustang in him, and that made him smarter and more sensible than even her cunning little mustang, Ace. Often he seemed like too much horse for just one creature.

When Sam went to brush the underside of his legs, she noticed the coat there was such a light grey it was nearly white. His transformation was coming before Tempest's.

"Manitou," Sam whispered to him. His secret name was after the lake thought to have healing qualities.

He turned his head toward her attentively. His big, brown eyes seemed to be peering into the greatest depths of her soul. Their intensity burned through her like fire.

Sam realized that what she had to do next could shatter her heart again - or restore the balance of what once was.

She grabbed a bridle from the tack room, inserted the bit into his mouth and slipped the crown over his delicate ears. Swinging up onto his back, she walked him off River Bend property. The thought of galloping on him bareback terrified her, but it was an experience she was absolutely unwilling to forsake.

All it took was a slight nudge from her heels to send Ember into unbelievable acceleration. Not sure how it was possible, Sam felt more connected and free with him than she ever had with a saddle. His hooves pounded against the desert ground, flinging dust behind them as they raised to strike again. This was the epitome of liberation. Of power.

For the first time in his life, Sam took Ember to the secret valley which she had avoided for the sake of refraining from a stallion fight. He walked surely through the rocks as they entered. The first thing he saw was the mares. His ears were directed to the band which grazed under the permission of the lead mare. Sam dismounted.

The bridle fell to the ground. Ember pranced in place at Sam's side.

"It's okay, boy," she reassured him. He cantered around her once in a circle, slamming to a stop on her side again.

"Go!" she laughed, slapping him on his hindquarters.

Ember took off, kicking his hind end out to the side in a display of enthusiasm. Sam watched as instinct consumed him. He swept around the horses in a circle. Some tried to run out, but he was far too fast for them and herded them back by blocking and nipping at them. It wasn't long before he had them all huddled together closely, seemingly proclaiming his new role as leader.

Everything seemed so perfect - Ember had inherited his father's legacy.

But Sam needed to know something. And if she didn't get the answer she was hoping for that was fine, but it would sting. She inhaled deeply. "Manitou."

At the mention of his name, Ember broke away from the herd. He came careening towards her, sliding to a halt at the last possible moment. She slowly extended a hand out to him, and he met it eagerly with his nose. Sam exhaled with a soft smile. Nothing had changed.

"Hate to ask, but I need a favor," Sam said, picking up the bridle. "I need a lift."

She climbed onto his back with no saddle and not bothering to put on the bridle. She grabbed a fistful of mane instead and urged him onwards. He sped exactly where she wanted to go: home. When River Bend was just over three miles away, she slowed him to a stop. Her feet hit the ground lightly.

"This is goodbye for now, sweet boy," Sam said sadly while rubbing his forehead and muzzle affectionately. "Promise to keep in touch?"

He tossed his head almost in agreement, looking exactly as his father used to while doing so.

She turned and began walking towards home, but stopped when he began to follow her.

"Only if you want to boy, but you have your harem now, remember?"

He glanced towards the hills in the distance with what Sam knew was longing. All it took was a playful smack, and he was gone. Sam watched as he soared away until he disappeared behind the rocks.

Slinging the bridle over her shoulder, she walked contentedly towards River Bend Ranch, thinking about the unfathomably swift colt that had come and gone with the hunt of a mountain lion.

Ember: the Phantom Stallion.

_Monitou_.

The legend lives on.

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><p><strong>This was where I had every intention of ending this story. However, recently I've considered adding on a few more chapters...<strong>

**What do you guys think? Like this ending? Or want to see more? Let me know.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 up! As you can see, I did decide to extend this story a little longer. Hope you enjoy! Terri Farley owns everything, blah, blah, blah.**

Chapter 6

Nothing at the moment could seem so desirable as a cool breeze, but no such luck was to be had. The high noon sun beat down mercilessly, causing a small bead of sweat to roll off Sam's forehead. She wiped it away tiredly with the back of her hand. She deeply wished Jake were there so they could ride out to the lake to cool off in the cold, refreshing water.

Once again, no such luck. This morning Jake had come to River Bend to tell Wyatt he wouldn't be able to work the horses that day and would only tell Sam that he had to go into town. When she asked, he refused to tell her why.

Images of the River she had first rode Ember in consumed her mind. She went up to her room and put on a pretty green bikini - one of the most girly articles of clothing she owned.

Wearing only her bathing suit and a pair of plain, white flip flops, she trudged downstairs and began walking to the river.

She was too hot to care when Ross looked at her like she was completely insane for taking off towards the desert in her current state of attire.

When the river was in sight she sprinted towards it with more enthusiasm than she had shown the entire day.

The cool water rolled over her body soothingly when she leaped into its gently flowing waters. After she was thoroughly refreshed she crawled over to the sandy bank and laid there, half in and half out.

It wasn't long before loud, noisy splashing approached her from behind. She sat up to discover the source of the noise.

Ember stood there, his gleaming white coat radiant in the intense sunlight. He nickered a low greeting.

Sam's face broke into a broad smile. She ran to him, throwing her arms excitedly around his neck. One thing about Ember was that he was like her horse away from home. There was none of the reservation or danger that she occasionally experienced with the Phantom.

"Why on earth did you travel all this way to visit me when it's so hot outside?" she asked him playfully. His hooves splashed her with water as he pranced around her.

"That's right," Sam realized, "you've got the blood of true desert horses running through your veins." The heat probably did little to phase him.

Grabbing a fistful of mane, she swung up onto his back. They trotted back and forth down the river together, just like they had the first time she climbed upon his back.

Sam knew of a spot a ways downstream where the water was really deep. It was a place they normally avoided for driving cattle. She cantered him along the bank to the spot, and squealed delightedly as he sprang into the air and they crashed into the water with a giant wave emanating from their point of contact with the cool, blue liquid.

It was more deep than she had ever speculated. She realized with shocked enthusiasm that her contact with Ember's back was unusually light - he was swimming! Sam let out a whoop.

It wasn't long before the white stallion's strong back broke from the water's surface and they were cantering away. Sam let him choose the way.

Unsurprisingly, he brought her to Three Ponies. Often he visited her there, usually when she was riding Tempest home from dinner with the Ely's, trusting her mare to get them home.

When her feet met the ground with a soft thud, she patted the drenched stallion on the neck and watched him fly over the Nevada earth towards the secret valley. With a sigh, she walked up to the front porch and knocked on the door.

Sam was grateful that Maxine was the one to open the door, as she was still wearing her green bikini.

"Sam!" Maxine smiled. "Jake isn't home yet. Did you go swimming today?"

"Yeah, I did," she replied. "I figured he probably wouldn't be. I hope you don't mind, but I was hoping I could change into some clothes? Ember left me here."

"Of course, Sam," Maxine waved her inside. "You're welcome here anytime."

Sam smiled at her appreciatively. "Thanks, Maxine."

It was strangely quiet. Maxine seemed to sense her curiosity and explained. "As you know, Jake went into town and the rest of my sons and Luke went to visit their grandfather Mac on the reservation."

"I don't think I've ever heard this house so quiet," Sam chuckled.

"Tell me about it," Maxine agreed. "This is a rare treat for me."

"Sorry to interrupt your peaceful alone time."

"No, no! I'm glad you came," the blonde woman assured her. "You know, I love all my boys," she continued, "but Jake was always the most reserved of all of them. Sometimes I worried that he would never be able to really open up to anyone. But with you, Sam, he doesn't have to. You've always been able to read him, and he you. I've seen how you two just look at each other, and the rest of us have missed an entire conversation. I've never seen him so happy. And that makes me happy for him." Maxine pulled her into a hug. "I consider you my daughter, you know."

Sam looked at Maxine, tears brimming in her eyes. "I know I have Brynna now, but I've always felt that you are the closest person I have to a mom."

Maxine smiled at her, and pulled away from their embrace. "Do you need to borrow some clothes?" she asked.

"Actually I have some here," Sam admitted with some embarrassment, but Maxine just smiled and nodded. "It's just that situations like this seem to occur pretty frequently, so I thought it would be easier to have them."

She and Jake hadn't actually done anything, but Sam realized with a blush that Maxine was convinced otherwise.

"If you want to take a shower feel free to use mine. Who knows what condition the boys' is in."

Sam went upstairs and showered, and then headed to Jake's room. Pulling open one of his dresser drawers, she found an outfit of her own clothes. Once she had changed, she headed back down stairs and found Maxine holding some car keys by the door.

"Luke and the boys are going to stay the night with Mac tonight. I'm going to drive up to visit a friend of mine, but you're welcome to stay here or I can drive you back home."

Sam decided she should probably head back and explain where she had disappeared to all day before anyone began to worry. When Sam got out of the car, she turned to the older woman.

"Thanks, Maxine," she said sincerely. "For everything."

"Anytime."

Sam shut the door and walked back to her house as Maxine drove away, the tires of the car spinning trails of dust behind them.

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><p><strong>More to come! As per usual, the more reviews, the quicker the update.<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks so much to everyone who read, reviewed, or added this story to your alerts! I was so impressed by the amount of response I got from the last chapter that I decided to update earlier than intended - my gift to you. Enjoy! Warning: this chapter is why this story is rated 'T.'**

Chapter 7

Laying on the couch in what would appear to anyone else to be a state of vegetation, Sam was incredibly still as she was exhausted by and reflecting on the events of the day. From the heat, to Ember's visit, to her experiences with Maxine at the Ely house, it had been a full day. And it was only 3:00 in the afternoon.

Her eyes closed slowly and she drifted off into a deep slumber, her mind filled with images of the two Phantom stallions in her life.

* * *

><p><em>Knock. Knock.<em>

_Knock. Knock. Knock_

"Who's there?" Sam grumbled groggily. Her eyes didn't want to open themselves to the light.

"Brat, it's me. Open the door!"

"Jake?"

"Who else?"

"Hold on, I'm coming," she groaned as forced her limp limbs to carry her towards the door. When she opened it, Jake was standing there, his Stetson down over his eyes and flashing her his best tomcat grin.

"Have a good nap, Brat?"

Sam nodded, and hugged him. Like he normally did he pulled away quickly.

A high whinny erupted from behind him. Sam peered around him to examine its source.

Standing not far off were a jet black horse and gleaming white one, both saddled and bridled: Witch and Tempest.

"Who tacked up Tempest?" Sam questioned confusedly. Jake rolled his eyes. "Wait, did you do that Jake? What's going on?"

Jake smiled at her again and strolled in his long strides over to Witch and swung up gracefully onto her back.

She shot him a quizzical look, but closed the door behind her and mounted Tempest. Witch began walking towards the bridge to exit River Bend, and Tempest followed.

"Where are we going?" she asked. He made no reply. Sam figured he had probably exceeded his maximum daily word capacity.

Witch halted near a small, elevated section of river bank that looked down upon the water. Jake got off, undid the cinch and pulled off her saddle. Then he helped Sam down and did the same for Tempest.

Jake took her hand and lead her over to the river bank.

She gasped. "Jake..."

On the sand lay a huge blanket, with a plain blue cooler in the center and an old fashioned oil lamp next to it. Somehow, it was perfect.

Sam ran towards it excitedly and motioned him to sit down next to her. Once he did, he opened the cooler for her to see. Inside was a bag of grilled cheese sandwiches, two lidded glasses filled with iced coffee and some horseshoe shaped cookies. The cookies were so lopsided and uneven, it was very obvious that they were homemade.

Sam beamed up at Jake, telling him how great she thought it was without words. She could tell he was pleased, but also a little embarrassed. She dug out a sandwich and handed him one too.

Every once in a while Jake did things like this for the two of them, simply for fun, but he was being unusually quiet. Sam decided to let him explain on his own.

"Knowing you, you were probably dying to know what I was doing in town today," he began with a smirk.

Sam smiled sheepishly, confirming his speculation.

"I had an interview with the Darton County Police Department."

"What!" Sam exclaimed excitedly. "How'd it go? What did they say?"

"Well, and I'm starting training as a police detective next month."

Sam squealed and kissed him. Then she said seriously, "There's no way they would have turned you down. No one can track or control emotions like you. You're amazing."

Jake smiled softly and kissed her, telling her how much her support meant to him. When he finally pulled away, he gently said, "I love you, Brat."

"I love _you_, Jacob Ely," Sam stated simply. She sighed, "It's amazing how 'brat' became such a sweet term of endearment. Only you could pull that one off."

Jake was silent for a few moments, then said casually with a mischievous smile on his face, "You know, there's another name I was sort of hoping you could get used to being called."

"Oh yeah?" Sam asked playfully. "What's that?"

Jake rubbed the back of his neck. "Mrs. Ely."

Shock hit Sam like a freight train. She couldn't move, couldn't speak. She simply looked at him, eyes wide and searching.

He pulled out a small, black velvet box. "Samantha Anne, will you marry me?"

The Nevada sky was streaked with orange and pink hues. The last sliver of sun was slipping behind the mountains, providing just enough brightness to light Jake's dark brown mustang eyes. Those eyes that Sam loved were fixed on her intently with a slight expression of uncertainty. A glint caught her eye, and Sam knew it was the ring, but she didn't break away from his gaze. There would be plenty of time to admire it later.

"Yes," she answered barely above a whisper, tears brimming in her eyes. The corners of Jake's mouth turned up into his tomcat grin. "YES!"

Scooping her up, he twirled her so that her auburn hair flew. The horses nearby pranced in the energy of the moment. When he set her gently on her feet, he brought the ring out of the box and placed it on her finger. It was a perfect fit. Despite the limited light, Sam saw the ring was simple and beautiful. It couldn't have been more right.

The kissed that ensued was the most passionate they had ever shared. Sam felt an urgency in it she had never experienced before. But it didn't scare her. Pressing herself tightly to Jake's muscular chest, she embraced and reciprocated it just as energetically.

Afterwards they lay on the blanket together, chests heaving and hearts pounding, looking at each other with complete love and adoration. The horses off grazing nearby, they were surrounded only by their shed clothing and the clear, black expanse of sky lit by the stars alone.

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><p><strong>And there you have it. Only one more chapter to go until this story is complete! Critique away!<strong>


	8. Epilogue

**Well this is it: The End. I've very much enjoyed writing this story and as excited as I am for it to be officially complete, I'm a little sad, too. Thank you all so much for reading this story, and for your support and encouragement. Hope you enjoy!**

Epilogue

"Daddy! Daddy, wake up!"

"What's wrong Louise?" came a deep, groggy grumble.

"My horse is having her baby!" the young girl cried excitedly.

"Ok, I'm up." The man rolled over and gently nudged the sleeping figure next to him. "Sam?"

"Hmmm...?" was her sleepy reply.

"Mocha went into labor."

Sam sat up. Mocha was the gentle mustang mare Sam adopted that the BLM had captured from Ember's herd. Her calm and gentle disposition made her the perfect horse for their second child, Louise, who had been begging for a horse ever since her older brother Dylan got his first Palamino gelding. Quickly after taking her home, they discovered that the mare was pregnant.

"Where is she?" came her slightly less asleep reply.

"In her stall!" Louise ran to the other side of the bed and grabbed her mother's hand. "Come on Mommy, let's go!"

The three of them sped out of their house towards the barn. When they reached Mocha's stall, the big roan mare was laying down on her side in the bedding, breathing heavily.

"Jake, do you want me to call a vet? Just in case?" Sam asked.

"Nope. I've delivered many foals before, Sam. Besides, if anything were to go wrong, there's no way anyone could drive out here in time."

Nearly an hour later Sam and Louise watched as Jake helped Mocha bring her foal into the world. It was still too dark to see clearly, but in the limited barn light they could tell the foal was a solid color, with no white anywhere.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Louise asked excitedly.

"He's a boy," Jake answered. He was petting the newborn all over, introducing him to human touch.

"It's called imprinting," Sam explained to her curious daughter.

Not long after Jake nodded towards the door. Sam knew he was suggesting they give the two horses some peace.

Sam took Louise's hand and led her towards the house. "How about I go make us some hot chocolate, and we can go visit the foal again when it's light outside?"

"Okay!" her daughter agreed enthusiastically. Sam smiled down at her. Her daughter had inherited her face and auburn hair and Jake's dark skin, but she also had Maxine's blue eyes. Jake caught up to them and took Sam's other hand in his.

"Can I have some marshmallows in it?" the little girl pleaded.

Sam laughed. "Sure, honey."

"And whipped cream on top?"

Sam and Jake looked at each other, shaking their heads.

"It wouldn't really be hot chocolate without it, would it?" Jake put in laughingly.

Louise just beamed up at him.

* * *

><p>Sam, Jake and Louise were curled up on their couch in front of the fireplace when they heard the soft thud of footsteps making their way stealthily down the stairs.<p>

The spitting image of a young Jake turned the corner into a living room and jumped in surprise at the sight of his parents.

"What are you guys doing up so early?" he exclaimed. "Well, I guess Dad is always up early. But Mom! You're never awake before there's light outside."

"I think the better question, Dylan Ely, is what are _you_ doing up so early?"

Dylan, with a bit of a sheepish look on his face, tentatively replied, "I was going to go ride Gunner."

Jake raised his eyebrows at his son. "Why do you need to ride your horse so early?"

Dylan sighed. "I want to be as good with horses as you are, so Great Grandpa told me some exercises to practice with Gunner."

Sam interjected. "I still don't see why you can't do that later."

Her son looked at her with big, brown mustang eyes. They were identical to Jake's, as was his black Shoshone hair. "Great Grandpa also said that if I rode bareback a lot I would be a really good rider, but I know you guys don't want me to ride bareback."

"You're old enough now, son," Jake said. "How about this afternoon we'll go to the river and I can teach you?"

"Really?" the boy asked excitedly.

Jake nodded his head in the affirmative.

"Yes!"

"You've got some chores to do first, though," Sam instructed.

"I'll finish them early!" he said energetically. His parents smiled bemusedly as he took off towards the barn.

"Well since everyone's up now, how about I go make some breakfast?" Sam offered.

"I'll help," her husband volunteered.

She wheeled on him. "What, you don't trust my cooking ability?"

He flashed her his signature tomcat grin. "Not really."

She pouted with mock offense. He pulled her into a hug and kissed her. "I still love you, though," he said.

Her face broke into a soft smile. "I love _you_, Jake Ely."

He pulled out some eggs the hens had laid the previous morning. She shook her head apologetically.

"Actually, I'm craving some blueberry pancakes this morning..." she explained.

"You mean we actually get to eat something other than omelets for once?"

She was silent for a minute. "You know, Ember came to see me last night. I wanted to feel the wind lash at my face so badly. I swear riding him is a tangible form of freedom."

Jake walked in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Thanks, Brat," he said, looking her directly in the eyes, "for thinking of the baby."

The sincerity of his words struck Sam deeply. But more important was what he told her with his steady mustang eyes: the extent of his love for her and their family. She couldn't fathom a life without Jake.

She hugged him tightly, smiling as she remembered how he used to squirm away at any form of embrace when they were younger. Now he showed no discomfort in returning them.

As they had their pancakes together, they watched from the great windows of their dining room as the Nevada sun rose, lighting the stables and pastures of their ranch. Life, Sam was sure, could not possibly be more _perfect_.

* * *

><p>After breakfast Jake went outside to work some of their newer horses. Jake only worked part-time as a detective, which was usually when he was needed. The rest of the time he exercised his other talent - his incredible gift with horses. Sam had wanted to host horses from the BLM, so they worked with the mustangs together. They didn't own any cattle and didn't get into ranching, but every year they would accompany the rest of the Ely and Forster family on their cattle drives. Jake's ability to train horses was so renowned that some people paid him to take on one of their horses for a period of time and train it. Today he was going to work with one of the Prather's Arabian fillies.<p>

He grabbed a halter and made his way toward the pasture where she was kept.

"Daddy!" Louise came up from behind from seemingly out of nowhere. "Are you going to visit the foal? Can I come? _Pleeeaaase_?"

Jake stopped in his tracks. That filly was going to have to wait for later whether he liked it or not. "Alright, we can go see the foal."

"Look, he's all black!" his daughter pointed out excitedly when they reached the stables.

At this point, Jake would have been surprised if he _wasn't_ black. There was also no doubt in his mind that he would also turn white later in life.

Jake noticed Louise had fallen uncharacteristically silent. She was studying the foal, looking deep in thought. He asked her what was on her mind.

"Well", she said hesitantly, "I was sort of thinking that maybe I can help you train the foal? I know I have Mocha, but I really want to help with him, too."

Jake looked at the young black horse. He had a slightly concave profile, the signature trait of the Arabian. He looked into the young creature's liquid brown eyes, which held both the fiery spark of his sire and calm docility of his dam.

Jake knew there would be times when he would regret this later, but he had already made up his mind.

Crouching down so that his eyes were level with his daughter's, Jake looked into her bright, wide eyes and said, "Louise, I want you to think of a name for him. One that's really special and that nobody else can know. Don't tell me what it is."

She was quiet for a few seconds, then nodded.

"Alright. Now you go and whisper his secret name to him. Say it three times. I'll stand a little farther away so I can't hear."

Louise went in and began stroking the foal, whose ears were perked towards her attentively. When her lips began to move, his long, lanky body quivered at the breath that blew gently into his ear.

Jake watched as his daughter whispered to the curious and incredibly impressionable young animal, sealing the same lifelong bond her mother had made with the future leader of the wild mustangs twice before.

* * *

><p><strong>The End<strong>


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